Sex education at school

Most people agree school is the right place to get sexual health information, but they also feel it's not often taught very well. One man had realised how important it was for all children to learn about sex at school when he started to do voluntary work.

Thinks that much more information needs to be disseminated through schools. (Actor)

His sex education was limited at school, but learnt more about it during voluntary work in his community.

Unfortunately sex education at school seems to be a bit of a lottery. People recall teachers delivering toe-curlingly embarrassing talks, often separating boys and girls so they didn't learn about each other's sexual development.

It may be that sex education is taught in terms of pregnancy prevention, and some people feel more focus needs to be placed on protecting yourself from STIs.

Some people were quite angry about how their schools had handled sex education , or compared their sex education with friends who'd been at different schools .

Describes her anger about the inadequate sex education she received at school and from her own mother and resolves to do better for her own child.

Reflects that her friends were more clued up about STIs than she was, but that school sex education may have been too early for her. (Actor)

Some teachers were at ease with the subject and this made things much better - but only for those who were in their class. In the same school sex education could be handled very differently in different classes, leaving the less fortunate pupils to rely on guesswork and what their friends were able to tell them.

Even when the information is good it is not always delivered when it is needed . Schools need to provide access to advice and information to pupils as and when they need it, particularly since pupils may not raise issues within a classroom setting .

School sex education came too late for many of her fellow sixth formers.

Suggests that schools should allow access to sexual health sites on computers in private resource rooms.

Those with experience of a peer led sex education programme (A Pause) think it's better to have 16-18 year olds leading the sessions than teachers . And interactive features of imaginative sex education like activities and games , being shown several different types of contraception, and being encouraged to practice putting a condom on a plastic model or a piece of fruit, are popular.

Compares her inadequate sex education with the A Pause peer education project she works on.

Describes her good sex education at school which included handling condoms and workshop activities.

Even those who're generally pleased with their school sex education may still feel it could be improved . More information about sexual identity (and gay and lesbian sex), contraception, how to avoid STIs, symptoms of STIs, how to handle relationships, and where to go for advice, contraception and testing are all issues that need addressing at school.